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John Deere RX75 Engine Issues

14 years ago

I just picked up this tractor, it's got the 9HP Kawasaki engine. When I got it, the original owner said that it started "blowing oil". Well, when I got home, the first thing I did was check the oil. It was WAAAAY over full. So, I drained the oil, only it wasn't just oil. It looks like maybe the float stuck open and filled the crank case with gas. Okay, it's got a fuel shut off on it, so I drained the oil, filled it with fresh, and gave it a shot of carb cleaner. It will just "pop", but not start. Sometimes it will run a few revolutions then stop.

I checked the compression, and it's got 80 PSI. I don't know much about 4 strokes, but on a chainsaw, 80 is near death.

Is it worth looking into the carb issues and fixing it up? I don't know what the cylinder looks like, but I imagine now that I put in actual "oil", it should stop blowing oil out the exhaust once it's all burned out of the system. I just hope that it wasn't run too long with thinned out oil.

I have nothing in this tractor, and I don't want to put a LOT of money into it. So far, it needs a battery, and possibly a carb kit. I can't get it to run at all on its own. Also, the engine won't even try to fire unless it's turning very fast. I don't know if that's due to the low compression, or what... I just thought I'd throw that out there.

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Comments (4)

mownie
14 years ago
If, the 80 PSI was an accurate value, that would be lower than the threshold for a "good engine". But, to be "accurate", a compression test must be done after an engine has been run and warmed completely to normal operating temperature. The throttle plate must also be in the wide open position during the test. Whether the engine features a compression release, or not, also determines the usefulness of a "cranking compression test", even on a warm engine and WOT plate. So, I guess you need to post some engine model and other numbers before deciding the engine has low compression based on what you have done thus far. A "cylinder leakage test" using compressed air is often the best way to tell for sure if the cylinder is "tight" or not and where it is losing pressure (if it's not "tight).
markymark-ca
14 years ago
I scored a Scotts 42" automatic with a Kohler last spring, I filled the gas tank then found the engine flooded with gas and oil

Replaced the carb, (stuck float?) replaced the oil and it runs nicely now

(Does diesel once in a while after shut-off)
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First, you should try draining the float bowl and restarting and letting it run a few minutes. If it ever got tipped too far on its side, then the carb could have filled up with oil and it will smoke like that for a long time even after putting new gas in it while it clears out the bowl. But I'm guessing you've thought of that, and also this would happens the second it starts instead of waiting for warmup. Which all leads to the head gasket probelm that has affected early examples of the FJ180V. Is that the engine you have, or is it the FC150V? If it's the FJ180V, then you may have a blown head gasket and/or warped head that only loses its oil seal after it warms up and expands. When you took the head off to check the bores and ring gaps, did you replace the gasket? I don't know if just replacing the gasket solves the problem. I think the newer engines have a lower compression ratio to solve the problem. That's all I can think of.
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***"the carburetor is clean"*** Does that mean you have taken the carburetor apart and cleaned thoroughly or does that mean that the outside of the carb looks "clean"? To check whether the engine wants to run but is not "getting fuel" you can dribble a spoon or two of gasoline into the throat of the carb, or give it a shot of spray carb cleaner into the carb and see it it wants to run briefly on that amount of fuel. If it wants to run when you do that, your carb is not so clean (inside) after all.
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mownie
14 years ago
***"(Does diesel once in a while after shut-off)"***
Don't ignore the possible significance of that! Dieseling or "running on" at shutdown indicates a high enough combustion chamber temperature for "alternative ignition" of fuel to occur. High temp might be due to air/fuel mixture being too lean, or to some obstruction in the cooling fan shrouding. Reading the color of the spark plug would also be a way to gauge the operating temperature of the combustion chamber. A scalded or bright white/gray appearance is "hot".
kohlermagnum
Original Author
14 years ago
I just sold it as is. I think I did better like that than putting money into it.

Thanks for the info though...

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